JUM  )  \   1920 


BV  4253  .W66  1920 
Woodhull,  George  H. 

Three  minute  sermons 


THREE  MINUTE 
SERMONS 


BY 

GEORGE  H.  WOODHULL 


^. 


OUGCh- 


■ir 


BOSTON 

RICHARD  G.  BADGER 

THE   GORHAM    PRESS 


Copyright,  1920,  by  George  H.  Woodhull 

All  Rights  Reserved 


MADE  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES  OP  AMERICA 


The  Gorham  Press,  Boston,  U.  S.  A. 


OBEDIENCE 


Three  Minute   Sermons 

OBEDIENCE 

TO  OBEY  is  better  than  sacrifice."  Nothing 
in  place  of  obedience  is  desirable.  No  volun- 
tary loss,  suffering,  deprivation,  instead  of  compli- 
ance with  duty,  is  praiseworthy. 

Children  must  obey  parents  because  they  have 
learned  more  about  obedience, — have  gained  a  par- 
tial knowledge  of  the  laws  of  the  world  or  of  the 
ways  of  doing  which  are  strong  and  wise  and  good. 
Whenever  the  father  knows  not  what  is  best,  he  is 
more  likely  to  guess  aright. 

The  spirit  of  obedience  is  gained  by  subjection  to 
unwise  commands  as  well  as  to  any,  and  obedience  is 
first  a  spirit.  It  is  not  sufficient  that  it  should  be  a 
momentary  attitude  of  the  soul,  but  must  come  to 
be  a  disposition  permanently  retained.  We  need  in 
these  days  to  be  sure  that  we  can  do  something  that 
we  are  told  to  do;  and  to  do  it  too,  with  spirit  and 
precision.  We  need  to  practice  marching  to  orders, 
halting  to  orders,  fighting  to  orders. 

Disobedience  deep  down  in  the  heart  is  usually 
the  reason  one  cannot  do  what  is  commanded. 

Democratic  churches  and  nations  are  supposed  to 
7 


8  Three  Minute  Sermons 

be  built  upon  the  principle,  every  one  a  ruler.  When 
we  attain  to  the  better  thought,  every  one  obedient, 
we  shall  have  not  only  the  best  form  of  government, 
but  the  best  government.  In  addition  to  the  grand 
conceptions,  liberty  and  independence,  we  shall  at- 
tain also  to  co-operation  and  fellowship,  to  right- 
eousness and  glory. 

The  great  question  always  is,  not,  can  you  make 
your  commands  or  your  influence  reach  the  farthest, 
but,  can  you  obey?  He  would  stand  supreme  among 
men  who  could  say  "I  am  commanded  in  what  I 
do."  "I  obey  in  the  exercise  of  power  I  wield."  To 
long  for  positions  of  authority  instead  of  real  author- 
ity, to  long  for  anything  other  than  the  authority  of 
right  and  of  God,  is  the  folly  of  the  human  heart. 
To  desire,  earnestly  and  perseveringly — long  and 
with  prayer  and  sacrifice — for  that  ultimate  author- 
ity, is  sure  to  bring  us  better  reward  than  success, 
and  will  bring  us  to  visions  of  God.  We  are  not 
early  beyond  the  stage  of  pupils  who  must  learn 
obedience.  What  we  have  not  learned  as  children 
must  be  learned  in  places  of  authority  as  fathers, 
mothers,  teachers,  citizens.  We  are  ever  being 
turned  back  to  the  first  lessons.  Difficulties  in  com- 
manding others  teach  us  resignation.  Hardships  in 
life  indicate  that  the  first  principle  of  life  may  be 
received  more  thoroughly. 

If  we,  with  reverence  and  prayer,  desire  to  do  the 


Obedience  9 

will  of  God,  and  are  intent  upon  learning  what  it 
is  and  upon  its  performance,  then — though  this  state- 
ment is  really  an  astounding  one — lue  are  doing  it. 

We  know  not  whether  work  done  with  an  obe- 
dient spirit  is  contributing  to  the  world's  progress, 
is  being  used  to  help  God  make  a  perfect  world ;  or 
whether  our  service,  reacting  upon  ourselves  alone, 
is  making  us  wiser,  stronger,  better  prepared  for  fu- 
ture usefulness.  However,  mistaken  service,  to  that 
degree  to  which  it  teaches  the  doer  of  it  a  lesson,  is 
thus  perfecting  the  world  according  to  the  plan  of 
its  Creator. 

God's  will  is  what  is  right.  To  do  His  will  is, 
therefore,  to  do  the  right  thing. 

"God  is  love."  What  therefore  love  would  prompt 
one  to  do  is  according  to  God's  will. 

God  is  unselfish.  Therefore  to  live  an  unselfish 
life  is  to  live  as  God  would  have  one.  The  right, 
the  loving,  the  unselfish,  simple  in  some  senses,  can 
however  be  defined  only  as  what  God  would  do. 
These  abstract  conceptions  for  a  time  are  able  to 
light  our  feet,  but  followed  exclusively  they  make 
onesided  and  unnatural  characters.  Men  who  walk 
strictly  according  to  their  habitual  conceptions  of 
the  right,  do  well  to  consider  that  they  do  not  know 
the  right  thing  to  do,  that  they  need  to  search  for 
more  truth  and  melt  their  severity  in  a  greater  sense 
of  God's  mercy  towards  themselves.    So,  also,  those 


lO  Three  Minute  Sermons 

who  have  grown,  in  conduct  and  life,  loving  and  un- 
selfish may  discover  that  they  conceive  of  love  only 
as  affection,  or  sentiment,  or  kindness,  of  unselfish- 
ness as  giving  up  to  others,  as  though  love  might  not 
show  itself  in  firmness  or  anger,  as  though  there 
were  no  unselfishness  in  receiving. 

However  rash  the  assertion  may  be,  its  seeming 
rashness  may  the  more  strongly  indicate  the  con- 
fidence we  should  have  in  God's  guidance.  The 
prayerful  and  consecrated  and  disciplined  soul  will 
find  that  what  he  persistently  and  intelligently 
wants  to  do,  it  is  God's  will  that  he  should  do. 

When  life  on  earth  is  over,  we  may  see  that  our 
first  lesson  was  also  our  last.  Our  best  ways  will 
have  been  pursued  beyond  our  thoughts  or  expecta- 
tions or  desires,  ways  which  may  only  be  defined  as 
those  of  faith  and  dependence, — of  blind  obedience. 


CONSECRATION 


CONSECRATION 

LO,  WE  have  left  all  and  followed  thee." 
There  is  a  difference  between  one  who  will 
not  confess  Christ  because  ashamed  of  Christ,  and 
one  who  will  not  confess,  because  ashamed  of  him- 
self. Our  Lord  never  excluded  from  the  company 
of  His  followers  those  who  were  diffident,  self-dis- 
trustful, morbid,  hypersensitive,  confused  in  thought. 

What  is  the  needle's  eye?  that  which  is  hard  for 
men,  but  regarding  which  it  is  written  *'with  God 
all  things  are  possible."  What  is  the  strait  gate? 
the  narrow  way,  the  hard  saying,  who  can  hear  it? 
.  .  .  We  need  to  keep  our  eyes  on  the  gate  posts 
of  the  strait-gate  in  the  words  "leave  all  and  follow 
me. 

The  "witness  of  the  Spirit"  is  not  the  needle's 
eye.  It  is  not  promised  that  a  certain  experience, 
like  Paul's,  like  Finney's,  like  some  other  Christian's 
at  the  altar  kneeling  is  possible  for  everyone,  at  a 
certain  time.  God  knows  best  when  to  give  us  the 
fruits  of  the  spirit  and  certainly  they  are  in  store  for 
us  all.    "Patience  worketh  experience." 

To  put  the  acceptance  of  any  doctrine  as  essential 
to  salvation,  is  to  deny  that  there  is  only  one  essen- 
tial, and  that  the  attitude  of  the  soul  described  in  the 
13 


14  Three  Minute  Sermons 

text.  To  be  concerned  over  points  of  theology,  as 
though  they  were  essential  to  conversion,  is  really 
to  doubt  God  and  so  one  may  never  get  any  answer 
to  his  questions.  God  is  not  slow  to  teach  those  who 
are  in  spirit  disciples.  We  are  not  cut  off  from  great 
and  sure  progress  when  we  ask  questions  with  a  view 
to  better  service,  better  worship,  larger  growth, 
more  sincere  loyalty  to  God. 

To  be  with  faith  and  self-abandonment  ready  to 
receive  the  truth  when  it  is  presented,  and  ready  to 
obey  it  and  defend  it  among  men,  may  be,  when  un- 
derstood, a  part  of  the  original  compact  made  by 
every  disciple  with  the  Great  Teacher.  "To  leave 
all"  rightly  and  fully  comprehended,  means  to  be 
sincere,  to  give  up  prejudices  if  they  are  found  false, 
to  be  ready  to  receive  the  truth. 

To  be  concerned  over  forms  of  worship  and  the 
administration  of  ordinances,  as  though  they  were 
the  first  condition  of  eternal  life,  is  to  act  as  Paul's 
converts  did  when  they  went  back,  as  he  said,  to  the 
"beggarly  elements."  That  seems  to  have  meant  to 
raise  the  question  how  to  start  in  the  way  of  life ;  in 
such  a  way  as  to  show  lack  of  faith,  in  such  a  way 
as  to  tend  to  undo  the  work  already  done,  or  to  turn 
out  of  the  way  in  which  progress  had  been  made,  to 
try  to  start  over  again  in  some  impossible  way.  Go- 
ing back  to  the  beggarly  elements  shows  one  hasn't 
left  all.     It  is  a  weakening  in  the  vow.    Going  on 


Consecration  1$ 

strongly  in  the  life  of  sons,  waiting  patiently  for 
God,  refusing  to  doubt  God,  shall  one  grow  rich 
and  strong,  shall  one  learn  to  ask  questions,  not  in 
doubt  of  God,  but  of  the  stronger  faith  in  Him.  If 
one  purpose  that  God's  will  should  be  done,  and  that 
he  shall  reign  in  his  own  heart  and  life, — then  God 
will  there  reign;  and  as  a  willing  subject  he  shall 
learn  the  truth.  Providence  teaches  the  lessons  the 
disciples  learned  j  and  no  man  is  so  ignorant  that 
day  by  day  he  may  not  learn  the  ways  of  life,  the 
truths  about  God  which  make  for  reverence  and 
righteousness. 

The  Chrsistian  can  more  completely  leave  all. 
Can  renew  his  vow  of  consecration.  Can  compre- 
hend more  fully  all  that  is  implied.  It  should  come 
to  be  not  alone  an  intention,  a  promise,  but  an 
achievement  fully  wrought  out.  At  length  it  must 
become  a  kind  of  Christian  self  abandonment  in 
thought,  in  affections,  in  art,  in  life.  It  is  to  be  so 
self-abandoned  as  wisely  and  skillfully  to  leave  the 
evil  and  the  earthly  for  the  right  and  the  spiritual,  to 
be  ready  to  respond  to  conscience's  call  to  duty  at 
any  cost ;  to  be  open  to  higher  visions  and  hopeful  in 
God's  discipline,  conscious  of  Divine  acceptance, 
thankful  for  blessings  which  one  cannot  yet  appre- 
ciate ;  these,  as  experiences  grow  rich,  come  to  be  un- 
derstood as  part  of  the  significance  of  "leaving  all 
and  following  Him." 


LO,    WE    HAVE    LEFT    ALL    AND    FOLLOWED    THEE 

FIRST  AND  chiefly,  to  leave  all  is  a  spiritual 
act.  In  the  midst  of  pressing  duties,  personal 
cares,  one  can  conceive  what  it  means.  One  can 
shake  himself  loose  from  all  and  ask  what  is  duty? 
What  is  best  and  noblest  to  do  and  be,  and  what 
he  should  do  at  all  hazards?  A  man  must  not  drift, 
nor  be  borne  away  from  duty,  even  by  the  pressure 
of  mighty  floods  of  influence.  The  soul  should  as- 
sert its  lordship  completely  over  the  body  and  over 
the  world. 

At  times  one  should  put  aside  the  cares  of  the 
world  that  there  may  be  quiet,  and  this  should  be 
done  by  effort.  The  key  should  be  turned  to  the 
place  of  business,  however  hard  it  is  to  do  so,  and  the 
thoughts  should  be  locked  outside,  that  one  may  hear 
the  voice  of  God  clearer,  and  think  more  carefully 
what  is  meant. 

To  perseveringly  consider  all  that  it  means  to 
leave  all,  is  the  duty  of  each  disciple.  We  can  ask 
God  what  he  would  have  us  do  with  riches.  Is  it 
unjustly  asserted  by  Christian  teachers  of  the  age 
that  the  wealth  of  Christians  is  not  properly  ap- 
plied? Would  God  use  money  differently  from 
what  Christian  people  do  for  perfecting  the  world? 
i6 


Consecration  1 7 

Would  ft  be  more  noble  and  Godlike  to  spend  more 
for  highly  mental  and  spiritual  uses?  Do  we  give 
enough  of  our  time  to  others?  Do  we  judge  our 
employees  with  sufficient  sympathy  and  patience?  at 
the  same  time  do  we  deal  with  them  with  sufficient 
firmness?  Do  we  restrain  our  pity  when  it  would 
move  us  to  interfere  with  God's  discipline  of  a  soul? 
What  does  leaving  all  mean  with  reference  to  the 
profession  one  should  be  in?  or  business?  or  occupa- 
tion? studies  one  should  take  up?  influence  exert? 
place  of  residence  choose?  plan  of  procedure  imme- 
diately undertake?  prayers  begin  to  offer?  To  ask 
such  questions  devoutly  will  bring  light  and  pro- 
gress. 

For  one  thing,  to  leave  all  means  service  of  God 
gladly  rendered.  It  means  desire  that  the  right  may 
reign  in  us  and  in  everyone,  and  it  means  effort  to 
establish  it.  As  we  live  in  this  spirit,  enthusiasm  for 
service  in  the  Church  must  increase.  This  spirit  of 
enthusiasm  will  prevail  upon  the  world  without. 
The  Christian  teaches  falsely  when  he  sighs  over  his 
service  and  gives  the  impression  that  one  grows  poor 
and  weak  through  giving  and  sacificing.  The 
church  only  sends  out  the  message  of  truth — that 
is  what  is  according  to  fact — which  shows  that  those 
are  full  who  gladly  and  wisely  give  up  and  serve.  All 
strength  of  men  has  come  in  the  way  that  seemed  to 
be  the  giving  up  of  all. 


1 8  Three  Minute  Sermons 

It  is  safe  to  leave  all.  We  are  not  wrong  in  feel- 
ing the  Importance  of  our  life  interests,  but  we  arc 
wrong  in  failing  to  trust  the  Great  Heart  of  the 
Universe. 

God  presses  men  and  women  hard  sometimes,  in 
sickness  or  peculiar  trial,  to  make  them  believe  in 
Him.  He  wills  that  we  become  more  consistent.  We 
say  we  will  leave  all  and  follow  Him.  God  in 
Providence  determines  that  what  we  have  said  shall 
be  done.  In  the  midst  of  life  we  find  God  march- 
ing upon  us — through  sickness,  through  burdens 
overwhelming,  through  problems  unsolvable.  Let 
us  be  glad  we  have  taken  the  vow  we  have.  Let  us 
hope  that  God  will  train  us  to  do  it  to  the  uttermost. 
We  sometimes  say  in  moments  of  self-sufficiency  and 
of  doubt,  "Life  is  hard,"  "life  is  strange."  But  at 
length  God  falters  not  at  his  child's  sigh,  or  misun- 
derstanding, or  doleful  thought.  He  has  confessed 
a  good  confession  and  God  will  carry  him  along  on 
resistless  influences  into  the  full  glory  of  its  inner 
meaning. 

We  cannot  fully  leave  all  unless  God  makes  us  do 
it.  We  cannot  perhaps,  if  worn  and  sorely  tried, 
ever  feel  free  from  such  trials  as  one  could  desire  to. 
We  can  only  leave  all  according  to  our  understand- 
ing of  duty  and  our  strength  to  do  it;  but  that  is 
quite  sufficient  now. 

We  cannot  judge  others,  whether  or  not  they  have 


Consecration  19 

left  all.  Christ  was  not  unwilling  that  His  disci- 
ples should  realize  that  they  had  not  really  given  up 
all.  It  is  enough  to  give  up  so  far  as  we  can.  The 
heart  may  cling  to  much  and  it  is  impossible  that 
unnatural  fears  should  be  at  once  quieted.  A  vow 
taken  with  the  fullest  sense  of  one's  weakness  may 
be  best  of  all.  "I  promise  to  try  asking  God's  help, 
to  leave  all  and  follow  Him."  The  vow  of  the 
Christian  will  be  no  weaker  if  taken  with  conscious- 
ness of  inability  and  dependence  upon  God.  To  try 
with  God's  help  is  enough,  and  leads  the  surest  way 
to  ultimate  triumph, — to  those  things  possible  with 
God. 

i  "Whosoever  hath  left  all  shall  receive  a  hun- 
dred fold  now  in  this  world,  houses,  and  brethren, 
and  sisters,  and  mothers  and  children,  and  lands," 
— the  best  words  of  this  present  world ;  "and  in  the 
world  to  come,  eternal  life." 


PERSEVERANCE 


PERSEVERANCE 

"TXTHEN  they  were  come  down  from  the 

▼  y   mountain." 

The  question  of  greatest  moment  for  one  is  not 
whether  he  can  sometimes  get  upon  the  mountain 
tops  of  experience  or  not;  but,  can  he  go  with 
Christ  into  the  valleys  beneath?  Can  we  discover 
that  what  is  good  to  think  about  is  equally  good  to 
do? 

That  is  not  a  light  which  will  not  shine  in  the 
dark.  The  soul  that  is  illuminated  in  the  especial 
revival  season  may  be  lighted  from  without,  not 
from  within.  The  special  season  in  church  is  the 
time  of  transfiguration  for  you,  but  do  you  prove 
to  have  any  of  that  glory  within  when  it  does  not 
shine  round  about?  Are  you  true  in  duty,  faithful 
in  hardship,  steadfast  in  danger? 

Men  sometimes  say  **I  am  sorry  my  soul  was  filled 
with  hope  formerly:  because  the  hope  was  destined 
to  perish  and  make  my  burden  harder  to  bear."  Now 
what  does  this  mean,  but  that  what  was  seen  upon 
the  mountain  top  was  false,  and  delusive,  therefore 
I  wish  I  had  not  been  exalted  ?  AVhat  is  seen  in  the 
light  is  true,  what  is  seen  in  the  darkness  is  false. 
What  is  seen  in  discouragement  is  false.  If  one  ever 
23 


24  Three  Minute  Sermons 

spends  an  hour  of  noble  vision  and  great  resolves,  of 
deep  longings  and  prayers,  then  should  he  value 
that  experience,  and  remember  it,  and  believe  in  it, 
even  if  it  contradict  all  other  experiences  of  all  the 
other  hours  of  his  life. 

Christ  teaches  that  God  may  be  in  a  life  down 
cast  and  wretched.  "My  clothes  are  poor,  there- 
fore I  am  of  no  consequence."  How  absurd  that 
one  in  whom  God  dwells  should  so  speak!  "My 
home  is  illy  furnished  therefore  of  course  the  Di- 
vine One  dwells  not  with  me."  "My  reputation  is 
nothing,  therefore  of  course  God  and  the  angels 
have  little  pleasure  in  my  life." 

Gideon's  army  gains  the  victory  rather  than  the 
multitudes  who  join  it  after  they  hear  the  first  cries 
of  victory.  Those  who  are  faithful  through  the 
year  in  prayer  and  service  are  the  ones  God  honors 
as  the  means  through  whom  the  world  is  redeemed 
and  perfected.  Not  the  prayers  of  revival  season 
are  so  efiEective  as  of  the  few  at  mid-summer  or  mid- 
winter prayer  meeting. 

A  degree  of  faithfulness  is  likely  to  accumulate 
some  wealth,  sure  to  accumulate  character  and  pow- 
er in  service.  One  of  the  greatest  gains  one  may 
make  is  a  habit  of  faithfulness.  The  saddest  loss 
is  of  one  who  has  no  longer  a  hope  of  becoming  faith- 
ful. 

Life  in  all  relations  demands  faithfulness  and 


Perseverance  25 

when  we  say  this  we  mean  God  everywhere  is  com- 
manding us  to  be  Christlike. 

In  Revelation  Christ  is  called  *'The  Faithful." 
What  a  word  is  it  for  us  to  be  called ! 

From  behind  the  veils  God  does  something  every 
moment  in  the  clouds,  in  the  fields,  in  the  stars,  in 
the  waters.  Looking  back  through  the  history  of 
man  we  observe  God  has  been  ever  working.  If  the 
earth's  movements  thus  reveal  to  us  the  Divine 
Worker,  there  is  a  new  interest  and  importance  giv- 
en to  common  materials  and  little  matters.  Fidelity 
will  hold  its  way  through  the  commonplace  as  it 
learns  to  perceive  it  glorious. 

How  can  we  serve  God  in  world-making,  world- 
redeem.ing,  unless  we  day  by  day  give  reverent  atten- 
tion to  Him,  in  creation,  in  providence,  in  redemp- 
tion? 

Also,  the  good  servant  must  proceed  from  con- 
templation to  experimental  service  in  small  ways. 
Some  day  we  shall  be  called  to  rule  over  ten  cities, 
now  we  must  prepare  for  it  by  ruling  in  some  small 
circle  of  affairs. 

If  one  has  ever  courage  to  do  his  best  he  may  now 
and  then  throw  out  into  the  world  a  good  deed.  A 
deed  good  through  and  through,  in  motive  and  in 
aim,  in  suitableness  and  in  timeliness,  may  be  lim- 
ited in  what  it  accomplishes  by  what  others  do,  but 


26  Three  Minute  Sermons 

is  itself  a  seed  of  Heaven.  As  the  world  is  made  of 
grains  of  sand — so  though  we  cannot  make  a  good 
world  or  a  Heaven,  we  may  make  such  a  good  deed 
as  with  others  will  make  Heaven,  or  a  good  world. 
While  we  labor  to  understand  the  vastness  of  Heav- 
en, let  us  make  a  little  deed  like  it,  speak  a  little 
word  like  it,  work  after  the  model. 

Look  wide  in  thought,  but  command  all  upon 
one  point  in  work.  Our  work  must  have  relation 
to  the  whole,  must  be  like  what  all  should  be,  but 
may  also  in  itself  be  complete.  There  are  little  cir- 
cles as  well  as  great  circles,  little  worlds  as  well  as 
great  worlds.  In  some  architecture,  the  parts  are 
like  the  whole;  there  are  small  arches  as  well  as 
great  arches. 

The  nice  work  done  in  hidden  places  is  for  God 
to  see.  The  perfect  care  in  smallest  things  shows 
genuineness.  Interest  in  the  least  things  shows  one 
in  love  with  his  work. 


FELLOWSHIP 


FELLOWSHIP 

WE  HAVE  fellowship  one  with  another." 
Christian  fellowship  is  the  vital  power  of 
the  kingdom  of  God.  Christ  regenerates  men,  but 
He  said  "I  give  unto  you  the  keys  of  the  kingdom 
of  Heaven."  He  sends  us  out  from  His  family,  and 
every  sister  he  commands  to  go  and  become  a  sister 
to  the  lost,  and  by  the  power  of  sisterliness  (not 
descending  into  the  family  of  Satan)  bring  up  the 
lost  to  be  sharers  of  the  inheritance  of  the  children  of 
God.  Brothers  thus  are  to  extend  brotherliness. 
Even  as  our  Lord  invited  himself  to  the  home  of  the 
outcast  Zaccheus.  This  is  overcoming  evil  with 
good,  is  implicit  faith,  self  abandoned  faith.  Thus 
shall  one  entrusting  his  soul  to  God  be  kept,  be 
made  a  power  unto  the  salvation  of  the  world. 

"Go  and  do  thou  likewise." 
"This  do,  and  thou  shalt  live." 

The  command  at  the  end  of  the  parable  of  the 
Good  Samaritan  and  the  promise  at  its  beginning 
indicate  that  the  way  to  eternal  life  is  in  the  exer- 
cise of  Christian  fellowship.  This  is  not  salvation 
by  "morality"  or  by  "works."  For  Christ,  not 
29 


30  Three  Minute  Sermons 

found  by  journeying  any  whither, — is  there — in  the 
practice  of  brotherliness. 

In  this  day  men  are  laboring  to  supply  our  tables 
on  the  distant  islands  of  the  sea,  in  every  land  how- 
ever distant.  They  clothe  us,  and  supply  our  furn- 
ishings. The  labor  of  our  hands  in  like  manner  is 
for  the  brother  that  is  near  and  the  brother  that  is 
far.  The  joy  that  touches  the  heart  in  labor  is  none 
other  than  the  manifestation  of  Him  who  is  the 
Life  of  the  World.  In  labor,  he  who  saves  men 
from  sin  is  sanctifying  the  souls  of  men.  Here  He 
should  be  declared  to  men.    Here  confessed  by  them. 

"Am    I    my   brother's   keeper?" 
*'As  I  have  loved  you." 

The  virtues  of  thrift  and  enterprise  by  which  men 
become  rich  and  successful  are  virtues  of  the  King- 
dom of  Heaven,  but  not  the  chief  virtues.  These 
imply  considerable  knowledge  of  the  laws  of  God, 
much  self  denial  and  self  control,  and  are  a  proof 
either  of  personal  faith  or  of  an  inheritance  of  the 
virtues  of  faith  through  a  Christian  ancestry.  On 
the  other  hand,  humility,  self-sacrifice,  self-forgetful- 
ness,  childlikeness,  love,  faith,  may  be  in  the  char- 
acters of  men  and  yet  they  be  failures  in  this  world's 
battles.     Those  therefore  who  have  done  most  to 


Fellowship  31 

build  up  this  world  in  character  may  be  found 
among  the  poor  and  thriftless.  Some  men  have  in- 
herited vital  power  to  cope  with  the  forces  of  nature 
and  of  society.  Such  have  neighbors  who,  because 
of  inherited  weaknesses,  are  entitled  to  their  help 
and  should  be  assisted  by  their  wisdom,  enthusiasm, 
rebuke,  forbearance,  kindliness. 

''Bear  ye  one  another's  burdens." 

We  are  not  yet  our  brother's  keeper  in  the  sense 
we  are  to  become  such.  The  great  attainment  of  the 
world  thus  far  under  the  influence  of  Providence 
and  Grace  is  liberty.  The  bells  of  the  world  have 
thus  far  rang  out  this  message.  The  victories  of 
American  arms,  of  Great  Britain's,  and  of  those  of 
all  civilized  nations  have  been  for  the  glorious  ex- 
tension of  liberty  to  many  peoples.  Political  re- 
forms have  long  related  to  the  working  out  of  hu- 
man freedom. 

Liberty  is  largely  a  negative  word.  It  means  that 
men  should  be  let  alone  by  their  fellow  men  as  much 
as  possible,  that  they  should  not  be  hindered  in  the 
exercise  of  their  powers,  or  in  the  attainment  of 
their  enjoyments.  It  includes  what  is  enjoined  in 
the  ten  commandments,  the  "Thou  shalt  nots." 

The  new  commandment  of  the  New  Testament, 
"As  I  have  loved  you"  is  the  measure  of  "burden 


32  Three  Minute  Sermons 

bearing"  for  a  brother  in  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven. 
The  cross  of  Christ  is  our  ideal  of  self-denial  for 
others.  No  man  yet  approaches  it.  This  law  of 
the  Kingdom  is  not  yet  obeyed  in  the  world.  It  is 
as  the  Heavens  above  the  earth.  Such  is  our  Lord's 
thought  and  spirit  above  ours.  We  look  to  him  for 
our  hope  and  for  the  hope  of  the  world.  We  must 
follow  after.  Our  hearts  are  not  yet  large  enough 
and  cannot  be ;  our  prayers  are  not  sufficient  in  faith 
and  cannot  be.  Indeed  the  new  command  cannot 
be  fulfilled  by  word  and  deed,  but  by  growth  into 
Christlikeness.  It  is  for  us  only  through  heartiest 
worship  and  sincerest  following  of  Him.  The  fu- 
ture paths  of  progress  lead  not  to  the  working  out 
of  liberty,  but  of  brotherhood. 


GOD 


GOD 


GOD  IS  love." 
The  Apostle  John  does  not  leave  room  for 
anything  not  love  in  God.  He  is  light.  He  is 
love.  These  words  the  evangelist  uses  one  for  the 
other.  In  Him  there  is  no  darkness  at  all,  and  who- 
soever loveth  is  born  of  God.  Conversely,  whoso- 
ever hateth,  is  not  yet  all  changed  into  the  likeness 
of  God.  God  is  righteous,  He  is  just,  He  command- 
eth.  But  His  righteous  com.mands  are  also  loving. 
His  justice  is  loving.  If  He  is  wrathful.  His  is  a 
loving  wrath.  If  He  is  a  consuming  fire,  He  con- 
sumes evil  and  him  who  doeth  evil.  He  consumes 
sin,  and  death  and  destruction,  and  him  who  sins 
and  kills  and  destroys.  Such  ought  to  be  con- 
demned.   Such  love  itself  abhors  and  condemns. 

The  message  which  has  greatest  power,  most 
quiet,  irresistible,  abiding  power  upon  character  is, 
God  loves  you.  The  message,  however  expressed,  in 
word  or  suggestion,  brings  comfort  to  the  afflicted 
and  strength  to  the  weak.  Those  who  are  most 
courtly  in  manner  are  those  who  have  observed  the 
tokens  of  God's  grace  towards  themselves  most  faith- 
fully. Those  whose  words  are  the  cheeriest  are  the 
ones  who  have  gained  confidence  towards  God. 
35 


36  Three  Minute  Sermons 

Those  who  can  arise  out  of  their  past  sins,  their 
present  weaknesses  are  the  ones  who  have  taught 
themselves  well  the  truth  of  God's  love.  Those 
who  can  run  upon  a  host  of  evil  and  endure  suf- 
fering without  self-pity  are  those  who  have  sup- 
ported themselves  by  this  truth.  The  one  who  can 
endure  a  hard  life,  with  little  honor,  and  not  much 
comfort,  is  the  one  who  has  found  the  true  support 
of  life. 

Now  that  the  Bible  and  the  cross  of  Christ  and 
the  church  of  the  ages  have  declared  to  the  world 
God's  love,  we  have  need  to  look  for  the  message  of 
God's  love  in  the  flowers,  the  songs  of  birds,  the 
grass,  the  trees,  the  hills  and  rivers,  the  ocean  and 
the  sky.  The  sunset  and  the  stars  all  may  teach  us 
this  truth.  This  is  that  of  which  "day  unto  day 
uttereth  speech  and  night  unto  night  showeth  knowl- 
edge." We  have  most  need  to  train  our  ears  to  hear 
this  message  on  every  hand.  We  have  most  need  to 
pray  "teach  me  better  and  better  to  perceive  what 
the  stars  say  of  Thee,  what  the  moon  and  the  sun 
have  to  say."  We  need  to  find  this  message  written 
even  on  angry  cloud  and  uttered  in  threatening 
tempest  of  wind  or  wave.  The  wind  of  the  prairie 
or  of  the  ocean  may  lose  its  power  to  annoy  or  ter- 
rify when  we  can  find  in  its  music  "God  loves  you." 
"God  loves  you." 


WE  HAVE  a  sense  of  Divine  love,  of  truth, 
of  right.  We  see  human  life,  physical  move- 
ment. The  sense  of  these  is  the  sight  of  God. 
These  are  the  "light"  by  which  God  reveals  Himself 
to  us.  Looking  back  and  forth  through  the  history 
of  man,  we  find  it  certain  that  man  knows  God.  It 
is  more  difficult  for  him  to  know  that  he  knows 
Him,  and  to  know  just  how  he  knows  Him;  and 
yet  this  knowledge  comes  not  alone  through  trances 
and  unnatural  visions.  The  time  must  be  approach- 
ing in  which  the  world  shall  be  conscious  that  it  has 
a  spiritual  vision  of  God  as  clearly  as  prophets  and 
apostles  had.  Nature  is  seen  to  reveal  a  Divine 
mind.  Visible  things  are  themselves  beams  of  light 
revealing  the  source  of  all  Being  and  Power. 

"High  above  the  limits  of  my  seeing. 
And  folded  far  within  the  inmost  heart, 
And  deep  below  the  deeps  of  conscious  being, 
Thy  splendor  shineth;  there,  O  God!  Thou  art." 

The  savage  who  saw  God  in  the  glow  worm,  heard 

Him   in   the   thunder,    reverenced    Him   in   sun   or 

northern  light,  perhaps  felt  more  certain  of  Him 

37 


38  Three  Minute  Sermons 

than  we,  who  have  learned  to  see  Him  in  all  these 
and  in  everything.  Yet  we  have  ground  to  be  more 
sure  of  our  knowledge  than  was  he. 

To  look  at  the  dim  light  is  pleasant,  to  behold  the 
sun  is  painful.  To  reflect  in  devotion  upon  what 
God  promises,  gives,  would  have  us  do,  may  be 
pleasant ;  to  contemplate  God  Himself  is  hard.  Yet 
may  such  contemplation  purify  the  soul. 

Our  visions  of  God,  like  the  revolving  light  at 
sea,  are  sufficient  during  the  storm. 

The  sun  sends  forth  such  floods  of  light  that  it 
may  be  questioned  if  we  can  see  the  sun  itself.  So 
God  gives  so  bountifully,  truth,  righteousness,  good- 
ness, food  for  the  body,  beauty  for  the  eye,  care  over 
the  least  creature,  that  the  soul  can  only  know  God 
as  the  hidden  source  of  all.  Yet,  as  the  Prophet  of 
Revelation  saw  the  Lord  as  the  source  of  His  works 
and  of  His  ineffable  glory,  so  may  we  assert  that 
He  is  seen  or  known  today. 


THE  BIBLE 


THE    BIBLE 

LUKE,  an  early  follower  of  Jesus  wrote  two 
books  about  Him,  the  third  and  fifth  of  the 
New  Testament.  One  of  these  describes  about 
thirty  years  of  Christ's  life  while  in  the  flesh,  the 
other  describes  the  continuance  of  His  ministry 
after  He  had  disappeared  in  the  cloud  and  was  in- 
visibly present  with  His  disciples.  Each  relates  a 
similar  story  of  good  deeds,  of  suffering  in  service, 
of  faithful  loyalty  to  God,  of  conversions,  of  the 
deliverance  of  gospel  messages.  In  other  words,  we 
may  say  Luke  and  Acts  describe  the  first  sixty  years 
of  Christianity.  The  whole  history  of  the  church 
has  been  like  its  beginnings.  "The  sick  are  healed, 
the  poor  have  the  gospel"  wherever  the  light  of 
Christian  civilization  has  gone,  and  no  message  to 
the  doubting  would  be  so  forcible  as  a  faithful  ac- 
count of  all  the  praying,  singing,  suffering  service 
which  has  elevated  the  world  in  civilization  and  in 
Christian  character  since  the  life  of  Jesus.  We  have 
need  of  a  Book  of  Acts  covering  1900  years,  and  de- 
scribing such  things  as  have  been  done  after  the  ex- 
ample of  Him  who  went  about  Galilee. 

Outlines  of  the  gospel  of  Luke  and  of  Acts  have 
been  made  out  differently.     The  books  are  incom- 
41 


42  Three  Minute  Sermons 

parable  and  may  fall  into  analysis  of  different  kinds. 
Luke  is  the  proclamation  of  good  tidings  sung  by  an- 
gels, and  by  men,  made  known  by  John  the  Baptist, 
Jesus  and  the  disciples,  by  proclamations,  teachings 
and  deeds.  These  good  tidings  are  the  announce- 
ment of  the  coming  of  a  person  to  earth,  and  are 
His  teachings,  promises;  the  influences  of  His  life. 
They  introduce — nay,  indeed  become — a  life  and  a 
society.  The  character,  teachings,  assurance.  Spirit, 
— in  a  word  the  life  of  Jesus — imparted  to  His  dis- 
ciples, becomes  a  new  life  and  a  new  society  in  the 
world.  The  spread  of  this  life  from  one  to  a  few, 
from  the  few  to  the  many,  aiming  to  possess  all  and 
to  encompass  the  world,  is  the  story  of  Luke  and 
Acts.  In  place  of  a  logical  plan  of  these  books,  a 
surface  study  of  texts  and  words  will  be  suggested 
as  leading  to  better  results  in  the  end. 

The  new  life  is  described  as  a  light  shining  out 
into  the  world.  Using  this  figure  the  elements  or 
colors  of  this  light  may  be  traced  through  the  books 
and  thence  through  the  history  of  Christianity  to  this 
day.  For  example,  the  prayerfulness  of  Jesus  is  one 
element  of  the  new  life,  a  new  kind  of  praying  which 
was  to  make  itself  known  as  a  blessing  and  power 
throughout  the  world.  One  can  find  light-touched 
passages  here  and  there  in  the  language  of  Luke  and 
Acts  where  the  idea  of  prayer  comes  to  the  surface 
to  disappear  again.    A  hurried  study  of  Luke  brings 


The  Bible  43 

out  twelve  references  of  clauses,  texts,  or  longer 
passages  scattered  through  the  book  and  Acts  pre- 
sents a  somewhat  larger  number. 

So  the  idea  of  joy  touches  the  narrative  about  the 
same  number  of  times.  We  find  songs  of  joy,  ex- 
hortations to  be  of  good  cheer,  promises  of  great  joy 
and  descriptions  of  exceeding  gladness.  It  is  asked 
in  modern  times  what  is  Christianity,  and  it  is 
supposed  sometimes  that  it  is  a  system  of  theology, 
or  an  order  of  priesthood.  Especially  is  that  organ- 
ized and  professed  Christianity  which  is  called  the 
church,  sometimes  regarded  as  vestments,  ordinances, 
priestly  systems,  orders  of  government,  statements 
of  doctrine.  In  Luke  and  Acts  we  find  Christianity, 
and  it  is  precisely  what  organized  Christianity  in  the 
church,  should  diligently  seek  to  be.  It  is  the  prayer 
of  "faith" — to  the  "Father";  it  is  joy  in  a  new  life, 
from  a  promise,  in  a  hope. 

A  third  element  of  this  new  life  may  be  set  down 
as  deeds  of  kindness  and  mercy.  It  is  more  difficult 
to  trace  the  references  for  this  as  so  much  of  the 
narrative  is  filled  with  the  accounts  of  healings,  of 
the  giving  forth  of  forgiveness,  teaching,  comfort, 
and  of  fellowship  to  those  socially  ostracised.  In  the 
beginning  of  His  preaching  He  declares  it  His  mis- 
sion to  give  good  tidings,  deliverance,  sight,  liberty. 
At  length  all  His  life  comes  to  appear  as  a  kind  and 
merciful  giving  of  Himself  even  until  the  final  lay- 


44  Three  Minute  Sermons 

ing  down  of  all  for  the  remission  of  the  sins  of  the 
world.  From  one  aspect  Christ's  life  was  a  giving 
of  Himself,  from  another  it  was  prayerful,  from 
another  it  was  joyful.  One  becomes  convinced  that 
the  occasions  of  prayer  and  joy  and  of  blessing  oth- 
ers are  manifestations  of  the  abiding  spirit  of  His 
life.  The  book  of  Acts  presents  the  disciples  left 
upon  the  earth  looking  for  the  inspiration  of  the  in- 
visible Lord  now  ascended  into  the  cloud,  as  continu- 
ing in  the  generosity  of  their  Lord.  After  the  first 
sermon  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  there  was  a  revival 
of  philanthropy  which  continued;  the  disciples  sell- 
ing their  possessions  and  giving  to  each  "according 
as  any  man  had  need."  The  disposition  to  give  the 
gospel  to  all  people  becomes  more  and  more  a  rul- 
ing passion,  most  strikingly  exhibited  in  Paul. 

A  fourth  element  is  suffering  in  service.  Born 
in  a  manger,  struggling  in  temptation  in  the  wilder- 
ness, violently  rejected,  harshly  accused  (as  of 
speaking  blasphemy) ,  met  by  cavil  and  finally  by  rage 
and  plots  against  His  life,  mocked,  beaten,  insulted, 
tortured  to  death  Jesus  teaches  His  disciples  to  leave 
all,  and  endure  stripes,  imprisonment,  martyr- 
deaths,  ship-wrecks,  stoning,  hunger,  evil  report. 
Sacrifice  is  perhaps  the  chief  feature  of  Christianity 
and  again  here  it  becomes  evident  that  the  manifest 
instances  of  sacrifice  are  really  manifestations  of  the 
nature  of  the  life  here  given  to  the  world.    The  dis- 


The  Bible  45 

ciples  and  Jesus  were  always  sacrificial.  At  root  the 
same  acts  which  were  sacrificial  were  also  joyful; 
prayerful  as  well  as  generous.  They  were  as  ready 
to  endure  hardness  when  none  was  required  as  at 
other  times,  and  when  they  met  their  severest  trials 
their  joy  became  the  greatest. 

A  fifth  element  to  be  traced  in  the  books  is  fel- 
lowship. He  drew  to  Himself  a  band  of  followers. 
He  taught  them  mutual  helpfulness.  He  accepted 
invitations  many  times  to  the  houses  of  the  high  and 
low.  He  reinforced  the  message  of  His  contempor- 
ary, John  the  Baptist.  He  taught  His  disciples  to 
cooperate  in  work,  and  organized  a  larger  company 
of  seventy  followers  also  to  such  cooperation.  His 
teachings  inculcated  the  principle  that  all  believers 
were  as  one  family.  In  Acts  the  disciples  are  spok- 
en of  as  "abiding  in  an  upper  chamber,"  they  are 
spoken  of  as  brethren,  they  have  all  things  common, 
they  cooperate  in  service  and  suffering,  participate 
in  prayer  and  joy.  The  words  "brethren,"  "com- 
pany," "together"  are  much  used.  Churches  are 
organized.  As  before,  it  may  be  shown  that  this 
also  is  the  spirit  of  the  new  life.  Every  Christian 
heart  is  abidingly  social,  in  prayer,  joy,  generosity 
and  sacrifice  remembering  the  brethren.  No  Chris- 
tian can  live  to  himself. 

A  sixth  element  of  Christianity  is  conversion.  It 
was  perhaps  symbolized  in  Jesus'  own  life  in  His 


46  Three  Minute  Sermons 

visit  to  the  Temple  at  the  age  of  twelve,  and  His 
subsequent  growth,  in  His  baptism  and  struggle  in 
the  wilderness ;  but  it  was  especially  what  He  sought 
to  accomplish  in  His  disciples  and  all  He  met. 
Moreover  it  was  all  the  change  that  His  words  and 
example  wrought  in  the  lives  of  His  followers  from 
the  first  vow  of  theirs  to  leave  all  and  follow  until 
they  stand  forth  transformed  from  weakness  into 
strength.  This  change  appears  as  prayerfulness  of 
those  who  knew  the  Father,  of  a  new  joy,  of  a  new 
generosity,  a  new  self-sacrifice,  a  new  fellowship. 
The  few  believed  through  Jesus'  preaching,  thou- 
sands through  that  of  Peter  and  thousands  upon 
thousands  through  that  of  Paul. 

The  seventh  element  is  preaching.  The  Gospel  of 
Luke  is  clearly  filled  with  the  preaching  of  Jesus, 
and  Acts  contains  many  sermons  of  Peter,  Stephen, 
and  Paul.  This  also  is  a  permanent  element  of 
Christian  disposition.  Always  the  desire  to  tell  of 
the  new  life  is  an  abiding  spirit  of  the  disciple.  The 
new  prayerfulness  in  which  the  Father  is  known, 
the  new  joy,  the  new  generosity,  sacrifice,  fellowship, 
and  all  the  change  wrought  will  ever  be  communi- 
cated to  others. 

The  eighth  element  is  a  special  sense  of  the  Divine 
presence  and  influence.  The  Divine  presence  and 
influence  seem  to  grow  more  and  more  manifest 
throughout  Jesus'  life,  and  even  more  manifest  as  His 


The  Bible  47 

Spirit  after  the  ascension  abiding  with  His  disci- 
ples. 

It  may  be  felt  that  there  are  other  elements  in 
New  Testament  and  apostolic  life  which  deserve 
mention  and  perhaps  that  the  foregoing  analysis 
should  be  differently  made ;  but  none  will  deny  that 
this  we  have  been  describing  is  indeed  the  life  which 
the  gospel  proclaimed  and  the  apostles  received  and 
spread  abroad.  Here  are  no  vestments,  here  is  no 
order  of  priesthood,  no  system  of  doctrine  or  of  gov- 
ernment. Moreover  there  is  no  doubt  this  life  has 
ever  been  in  the  church.  She  has  in  every  age  been 
prayerful.  She  has  ever  been  loud  and  glad  in 
praise.  Her  philanthropy  has  never  ceased,  her 
martyr  spirit  never  been  quenched,  her  fellowship 
has  never  v/eakened,  conversion  has  ever  been  the 
greatest  fact  in  connection  with  her  influence, 
preaching  has  ever  been  an  element  of  her  power, 
and  the  Holy  Spirit  has  ever  been  recognized. 
Though  vestments,  priestly  orders  and  doctrines 
have  been  more  or  less  prominent,  whether  wisely  or 
unwisely  this  may  have  been,  these  have  not  been 
her  life  but  her  outward  form.  It  is  this  New 
Testament  and  apostolic  life  on  the  other  hand, 
which  will  never  grow  old. 


JONAH 

THE  BOOK  of  Jonah  brings  before  us  the 
weakness  of  Old  Testament  religion.  Old 
Testament  prophets  and  saints  believed  in  obedience. 
It  was  their  pride  that  they  obeyed  God.  But  they 
hated  the  Gentile  nations  many  of  which  were  at 
war  with  Israel  and  were  destined  to  eventually  de- 
stroy her.  The  spirit  of  God's  people  was  thus  not 
that  of  the  New  Testament  or  that  which  Christ 
enjoined.  God  would  that  all  peoples  should  know 
the  truth  and  walk  therein.  Israel  was  entrusted 
with  the  oracles  of  God  that  she  might  be  a  light  to 
the  Gentiles.  This  unwillingness  of  Israel  to  pro- 
claim the  truth  to  other  nations  was  disobedience. 
Let  Israel  not  think  obedience  simply  meant  to  keep 
the  ten  commandments.  Her  prophets  must  proclaim 
the  truth  given  them  to  Ninevah.  Their  unwilling- 
ness to  do  this  was  direct  disobedience.  So  for 
church  members  today  not  to  proclaim  the  truth  to 
outcasts  and  to  irreligious  neighbors  is  direct  dis- 
obedience; for  the  church  not  to  send  the  word  to 
neglected  regions  and  to  heathen  peoples  is  dis- 
obedience as  really  as  to  break  the  ten  command- 
ments. 

The  only  message  the  prophet  was  capable  of  car- 

48 


The  Bible  49 

rying  to  Ninevah  was  one  of  threatening.  This 
message,  however,  it  was  his  duty  to  take,  and  it  was 
one  God  could  use.  God  however  meant  it  as  a 
warning,  Jonah  as  vengeance.  Though  God  could 
use  the  prophet  who  spoke  the  word  that  he  ought 
to  speak  even  though  his  heart  was  not  yet  perfect; 
it  is  evident  that  God  would  have  his  servant  be- 
come not  only  obedient  in  act  but  in  heart  also. 
Jonah  is  therefore  gently  shown  that  he  should  de- 
sire what  God  desires,  be  as  merciful  toward  wicked 
Ninevah  as  God  Himself  was. 

This  is  the  very  climax  of  Old  Testament  teach- 
ing, a  teaching  which  Paul  found  Christian  Israel 
unready  to  receive.  And  to  this  day  the  exclusive- 
ness  of  Israel  and  Israel's  prophet  reappears  in  every 
church  which  fails  not  only  to  preach  the  gospel  of 
life  in  Christ  to  the  world  about;  but  still  more  to 
be  heart  full  of  prayer  and  of  hope  for  the  world 
without.  Not  to  preach  the  gospel  is  disobedience. 
Not  to  have  a  spirit  conformable  to  Christ's  spirit 
towards  the  world  is  also  disobedience. 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  JOHN  AND  REVELATION 

THESE  TWO  books  are  often  thought  of  to- 
gether and  have  been  supposed  to  be  from  the 
same  author. 

If  God  is  love,  someone  has  asked,  and  if  He 
would  that  all  men  should  be  saved,  why  are  not 
all  men  saved?  In  the  gospel  of  John  we  see  the 
forgiveness  of  a  loving  God,  as  it  is  expressed  in 
word  and  manifested  in  the  life  of  Jesus,  carried  to 
the  world  and  we  study  its  effect  upon  the  world. 
The  book  is  a  study.  What  will  man  do  with  God's 
forgiveness,  love,  fellowship?  The  answer  appears 
in  every  chapter  of  the  book.  It  is  a  marvelous  an- 
sv/er.  Some  believe  and  some  doubt!  The  few  be- 
lieve and  follow,  the  multitude  reject  and  take  coun- 
sel to  put  Him  to  death.  The  conflict  between  Di- 
vine love  and  Divine  truth  and  Man's  unbelief  and 
rebellion  are  the  subject  of  every  page  of  the  book. 
Though  man  appears  mainly  unbelieving  and  hos- 
tile this  is  not  the  chief  point  of  emphasis ;  but  rather 
God's  sacrificial  contest  for  man  to  overcome  his 
folly  and  ignorance  and  sin. 

The  book  of  Revelation  presents  the  Lord  in  His 
present  glorious  reign  over  human  affairs.  The  book 
itself  is  the  unveiler  of  Christ.    The  coming  spoken 

50 


The  Bible  51 

of  is  through  the  words  of  the  sacred  writer.  In  the 
book  the  cloud  into  which  he  withdrew  is  parted  to 
reveal  to  the  comprehension  of  mankind  His  present 
existence,  and  His  present  relation  to  those  in  Heav- 
en and  on  Earth.  He  sits  there  in  glorj',  and  is  wor- 
shipped and  obeyed  by  those  above  and  those  be- 
neath. He  moves  the  pages  of  the  book  of  life,  pours 
out  judgment  upon  evil,  brings  salvation,  reigns  for 
ever  and  ever.  Through  Him  the  earth  is  changed, 
the  faithful  are  purified  and  delivered  and  made  vic- 
torious.    Nations  bring  their  glory  to  his  realm. 

The  book  of  Revelation  is  a  word  painting  of  the 
history  of  the  world.  The  Divine  purpose  of  war 
and  pestilence,  of  suffering  and  disease ;  the  future 
breaking  away  of  all  clouds  of  persecution,  of  oppres- 
sion; the  reward  of  faithfulness;  the  power  of  the 
incense  of  prayer,  the  certainty  of  the  coming  glory 
over  all  earth  clouds;  the  certainty  of  the  advent  of 
peace,  the  perfection  and  righteousness  which  must 
be  the  end  for  which  all  things  exist;  the  future  of 
all  people,  of  all  individuals  is  here  presented.  A 
message  from  Jesus  Christ  to  men  through  John. 
Every  evil  and  oppression  shall  come  to  naught,  all 
gloom  and  weeping  pass  away.  The  relation  of 
Jesus  Christ  to  all  things  shall  at  length  be  recog- 
nized by  all  as  it  was  by  John.  It  shall  become 
manifest  and   confessed  that  the  kingdoms  of  this 


52  Three  Minute  Sermons 

world  are  become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and  of 
his  Christ  and  He  shall  reign  forever  and  ever. 

It  vrould  seem  that  the  mind  of  the  writer  of 
Revelation  confused  his  word  painting  with  the  his- 
tory of  the  world.  He  forgets  his  own  words  and  is 
absorbed  in  his  vision. 


THE  CHURCH 


THE  CHURCH 

THOUGHTS  that  are  God's  enter  your  mind 
because  you  were  taught  them  in  the  church. 
Joy  springs  up  in  your  heart.  Consolation  comes  in 
trouble.  Fortitude  in  trial.  Sinful  courses  are 
shunned.  Why?  Because  of  truth  recalled,  once 
learned  at  church,  spiritual  attitudes  received  from 
church  or  church  life. 

It  is  easy  to  be  ungrateful  for  the  highest  bless- 
ings. They  come  in  disguise.  We  may  not  be 
grateful  that  the  church  lays  fearlessly  upon  the  con- 
sciences of  men  the  right.  We  may  not  be  aware  of 
her  influence  upon  the  community  towards  decency, 
self-respect,  uprightness;  her  atmosphere  pervading 
everywhere.  We  may  easily  under  value  the  im- 
portance of  Christian  fellowship  for  ourselves. 

A  greater  fellowship  will  spring  up  in  the  church 
when  there  is  a  more  earnest  service.  Let  us  give 
to  the  church  more  of  our  toil.  Let  us  remind  our- 
selves that  she  stands  for  service  such  as  we  are 
only  beginning  to  dream  of.  Not  needless  toil  and 
pain  such  as  the  saints  of  old  often  rendered  to  prove 
their  love  as  they  climbed  a  mountain  in  the  frost 
on  bared  knees,  but  wisely  directed,  God-impelled 
and  guided  work  for  the  upbuilding  of  the  kingdom 
55 


56  Three  Minute  Sermons 

of  Heaven  on  earth.  How  shall  we  do  it?  What 
shall  we  do?  God  who  has  sent  this  command  to 
us  in  messages  from  countless  pulpits  and  is  giving 
us  ears  to  hear  it  as  never  before  since  the  apostolic 
days,  will  give  us  power  to  do  it,  and  wisdom  to 
perform  it  well. 

The  church's  work  is  all  that  the  Lord  wanted 
to  accomplish  while  on  earth, — all  that  He  wants  to 
accomplish  now.  The  gracious  invitation  must  be 
proclaimed.  We  must  summon  the  strength  to  utter 
the  glad  message  where  we  may  not  seem  to  have 
strength  to  proclaim  it,  save  as  God  will  give  it  to 
us.  We  must  look  up,  wherever  man  looks  down. 
We  must  hold  on  to  truth  and  hope,  and  be  messen- 
gers of  these  wherever  men  are  found.  We  must 
give  ourselves  as  a  gospel  light — our  word,  act, 
journey,  plan,  forbearance.  The  church  wants  the 
peculiar  tone  of  yourself  in  the  message  she  is  send- 
ing out.  It  is  the  manifoldness  that  is  needed;  all 
the  members  different  from  each  other  and  yet  all 
engaged  in  a  perpetual  prayer  service  or  testimony 
meeting,  all  forever  supporting  each  other,  together 
engaged  in  one  work. 

God  has  chosen  to  use  an  imperfect  church  to  ac- 
complish the  salvation  of  the  world.  Such  a  church 
he  has  used  for  nineteen  hundred  years.  Those  who 
are  being  redeemed — not  yet  fully  redeemed — may 
be  used.    He  commands  the  one  who  has  only  heard 


The  Church  57 

the  call,  to  call  others.  As  He  lifts  us  from  dark- 
ness, He  commands  us  to  hold  on  to  others.  One 
whose  weaknesses  are  plain,  not  only  to  God,  but 
to  his  fellow  men,  may  dare  to  reach  out  his  hand 
to  lost  men,  not  because  of  what  he  is,  but  because 
of  Him  whom  he  trusts,  and  because  of  what  he 
knows  he  is  becoming.  Indeed  the  church  has  too 
much  lost  its  power  by  listening  to  the  world's  crit- 
icisms. She  is  already,  in  a  sense,  too  good.  She 
has  feared  to  receive  the  people  who  are  evil  and 
ignorant,  and  are  so  from  inheritance,  and  surround- 
ings; and  opens  her  doors  to  the  people  who  have 
inherited  the  virtues  of  civilization.  Mr.  Bryce  in 
his  American  Commonwealth  says  the  churches  are 
filled  with  the  better  class  of  people.  This  is  not  be- 
cause the  worst  classes  of  people  are  not  as  desirous 
of  being  better,  not  as  ready  to  trust  in  Christ  for 
growth  in  character,  but  because  the  membership  do 
not  cut  across  the  criticism  of  the  world  with  utter 
abandonment  to  the  Master's  guidance.  The  condi- 
tion of  membership  is  not  the  possession  of  virtue, 
but  the  pursuit  of  it.  Church  members  should  be, 
not  those  who  profess  to  be  good,  but  who  desire  to 
be  better  through  Christ. 

Children  are  at  present  excluded  from  the  church 
for  somewhat  the  same  sort  of  reason.  They  are 
not  invited  in,  because  they  do  not  understand  the 
doctrines.    They  would  come  if  cordially  invited,  in 


58  Three  Minute  Sermons 

larger  numbers  than  older  people.  If  parents  and 
Sunday  School  teachers  in  the  church  would  explain 
that  Christ  helped  all  who  trusted  in  Him,  to  be- 
come good,  that  they  were  invited  to  the  privileges 
of  the  church  that  they  might  have  the  help  of  all 
fellow  Christians  so  that  they  might  understand 
Christ  and  obey  Him,  they  would  come,  and  come 
with  more  sincere  purpose  than  older  Christians 
come  with.  The  right  spirit  and  conduct  in  the 
church  would  at  once  make  possible  the  reception  of, 
we  may  suppose,  many  thousands  if  not  millions  of 
children  to  protestant  communion  in  the  United 
States. 

That  children  in  the  church,  as  well  as  older  peo- 
ple of  little  religious  training,  may  bring  that  great 
glory  to  a  church  which  ought  chiefly  to  be  desired 
for  her,  namely  growth  in  virtuous  character:  the 
watch-care  in  the  church  should  become  very  effi- 
cient. A  watch-care  brotherly,  frank,  self-abandoned 
in  faith,  for  the  good  of  the  disciplined  and  not  pri- 
marily for  the  purification  of  the  church,  only  for 
the  purification  of  the  church  through  a  purification 
of  members,  not  necessarily  gentle  or  pleasant,  not 
necessarily  severe  or  disagreeable,  but  with  utter  de- 
votion to  the  good  of  the  soul  for  whom  it  is  ex- 
erted ;  this  is  the  great  need  of  the  church.  In  order 
that  this  watch-care  may  be  what  it  should,  Chris- 
tian fellowship  must  not  be  under  subjection  to  per- 


The  Church  59 

sonal  likes  and  dislikes.  People's  fancies  must  not 
rule  the  church.  Must  not  even  control  in  the  choice 
of  officers  or  dismission  of  them. 

The  expectation  of  finding  the  church  Godlike  in 
perfection  must  be  given  up.  To  find  that  the  church 
and  the  Bible  are  designed  only  to  point  the  w^ay  to 
God  is  the  climax  of  protestantism.  The  minister 
and  the  members  who  point  aright,  who  give  the 
true  message,  who  make  known  the  will  and  suggest 
the  presence  of  God,  best  fulfill  their  functions.  No 
book  or  church  contains  Him.  For  this  very  cause 
it  is  well  (and  not  ill)  that  unreasoning  devotion 
turns  to  the  crucifix;  that  formulas  of  prayer  are 
repeated ;  that  Christian  worship  most  nearly  ap- 
proaches idolatry  in  reverence  for  the  cross.  It  is 
well  that  our  weakness  and  sin  we  should  thus  be 
freed  from;  our  peace  thus  receive,  our  one-ness 
with  God  and  man  thus  perceive. 


PATRIOTISM 


PATRIOTISM 

THE  religion  of  the  Old  Testament  was  a  pa- 
triotic religion.  We  are  again  in  America 
learning  to  mingle  love  of  God  and  love  of  country. 
"If  I  forget  thee,  O  Jerusalem,  let  my  right  hand 
forget  her  cunning.  If  I  do  not  remember  thee,  let 
my  tongue  cleave  to  the  roof  of  my  mouth;  if  I 
prefer  not  Jerusalem  above  my  chief  joy."  These 
words  put  into  an  American's  lips  might  be  made  to 
read  as  follows:  "If  I  forgot  thee,  oh  native  land, 
let  my  right  hand  become  helpless.  If  I  do  not  re- 
member thee,  let  my  tongue  cleave  to  the  roof  of 
my  mouth;  if  I  prefer  not  my  country  above  my 
chief  joy." 

The  evils  in  our  country  cannot  be  entirely  re- 
moved by  any  law  or  system  of  reforms.  The  mo- 
tive of  each  soul  is  not  yet  perfect,  therefore  the  re- 
sult of  all  our  lives  cannot  be  perfect.  Not  every 
act  in  production  and  distribution  is  for  country  and 
God,  therefore  we  may  not  expect  a  just  distribution 
and  a  wise  production  to  be  the  result  of  all  our 
deeds.  The  whole,  large,  round  life  is  the  sum  of 
the  little  worlds  which  each  community,  each  fam- 
ily, each  individual  is.  Nothing  but  such  a  spirit  as 
Christ  showed  forth  in  His  life  and  death  can  re- 
move the  evils  out  of  our  land. 

63 


64  Three  Minute  Sermons 

Fruits  are  raised  of  various  kinds  in  Florida,  New 
Mexico  and  California,  in  Kansas  and  Missouri,  of 
various  kinds  in  every  state.  It  is  to  be  reasonably 
assumed  that  God  would  wish  to  see  a  basket  of 
many  fruits  every  day,  in  every  household  of  the 
country.  As  a  God  of  love  He  has  made  provisions 
for  this.  Man's  problem  then  is  to  so  cultivate  and 
to  so  distribute,  to  so  labor,  to  so  plan,  to  so  give, 
to  so  receive,  that  God's  will  in  this  shall  be  per- 
fectly done.  Perfect  beneficence  and  perfect  justice 
towards  every  creature,  respecting  every  least  thing 
absorbs  the  interest  and  may  tax  the  power  of  God. 
Towards  it,  therefore,  He  summons  into  service  His 
angels  and  His  children  here  below. 

How  can  one  love  his  neighbor  as  himself  in  every 
act?  It  is  more  than  many  can  do  to  support  them- 
selves without  taking  responsibility  for  one  hundred 
millions! 

Christianity  always  is  more  than  anyone  can  do, 
always  is  faith,  and  a  patriotic  life  must  be  one  that 
remembers  country  in  the  hour  of  prayer  and  devo- 
tion. Perhaps  a  life  spent  as  patriotically  as  the  sol- 
dier's in  battle,  will  not  fare  worse  than  most  do 
spent  otherwise,  and  will  find  far  more  tolerable 
conditions  than  was  found  by  Him  who  bade  us 
follow  Him. 

It  would  be  a  good  resolve  for  everyone  to  make, 
to  live  for  country  as  truly  and  as  heroically  as  those 


Patriotism  65 

who  have  been  to  battle  for  her.  He  who  has  the 
soldier's  spirit  will  discover  something  which  repre- 
sents his  life  which  he  can  lay  upon  the  altar.  He 
who  risks  his  good  name  for  his  country,  or  for  the 
King  of  his  country,  risks  what  is  a  part  of  his  life. 
He  who  wisely  puts  in  jeopardy  his  friendships,  his 
living,  his  position,  risks  his  life.  He  who  enters 
his  studies  and  devotions  with  a  purpose  to  find  out 
how  he  may  live  for  his  country,  will  find  some  way 
to  make  his  life  count  as  much  as  any  soldier's. 

Are  there  not  multitudes  already  who  live  every 
day  as  patriotically  as  the  soldier  does?  One  man 
in  the  West  made,  out  of  the  waste  prairie,  three 
farms  on  which  are  beautiful  homes,  flowers,  shade 
trees,  orchards,  fences,  barns,  outbuildings.  He  will 
die  a  poor  man.  Has  he  served  his  country  less 
heroically  than  those  who  faced  bullets  and  are  re- 
ceiving pensions?  Ministers,  doctors,  teachers,  in- 
ventors are  often  as  patriotic  as  soldiers.  Someone 
has  said  that  troops  who  go  behind  the  cannon  to 
win  victories  deserve  no  more  appreciation  than  the 
men  who  invented  those  cannons.  The  struggle 
days  and  nights  in  thought,  the  anguish  for  weeks  in 
persuading  the  world  to  accept  one's  ideas  is  not 
easier  than  an  exposure  of  life  and  limb  to  injury. 
Still  the  nation  has  no  more — nor  so  much  need  of 
cannon,  as  of  toys  and  games  for  recreation,  as  of 
utensils  and    machines    for    convenience    and    use. 


66  Three  Minute  Sermons 

Those  who  have  given  the  world  these  may  have  en- 
dured more  trial  of  body  and  mind  than  American 
soldiers  have ;  and  have  certainly  not  received  either 
remuneration  or  appreciation  to  a  like  degree. 

We  need  to  keep  before  ourselves  the  heroism 
needed  and  the  heroism  already  being  exercised  to 
make  a  nation.  It  takes  not  less  to  make  the  life  of 
a  people  righteous  and  beautiful,  than  to  defend  lib- 
erties, to  create  constitutions,  to  explore  frontiers 
and  subdue  deserts.  We  need  as  much  sacrifice  to 
make  houses  artistic,  furnishings  beautiful,  minds 
cultured,  as  to  rear  great  ware  houses  and  business 
offices.  We  need  sacrifice  to  make  our  national  life 
abound  with  literary  men  and  artists;  with  men  of 
true  refinement  and  great  ideas. 

Rich  men's  children  may  not  be  delivered  from 
enfeebling  influences  until  it  becomes  clear  in  our 
national  life  that  when  one  is  no  longer  driven  to 
work  to  supply  bodily  wants,  there  is  other  work  as 
important  for  him  to  do  for  the  country  to  which  he 
belongs.  Literature  may  not  flourish  unless  rich 
men  again  feel  it  their  duty  to  become  patrons  of 
literature.  The  men  who  need  the  leisure  to  write 
great  poems,  or  bring  great  messages  to  their  fellow 
men  are  certainly  bowing  under  the  burdens  of  labor 
in  great  numbers.  It  is  the  wealthy  man's  privilege 
to  search  them  out,  help  them  with  education  and 
with  books,  and  surround  them  with  the  refinements 


Patriotism  67 

and  resources  which  will  make  possible  for  them  the 
higher  life.  In  an  ideal  nation  everyone  will  be 
rich.  The  chief  reason  why  property  must  remain 
in  a  country  is  that  its  people  have  not  yet  set  their 
affections  on  things  above.  We,  as  a  nation,  need 
to  stir  ourselves  up  to  two  or  three  old  ideals.  We 
need  to  keep  alive  the  Hebrew  thought  of  a  theoc- 
racy, an  ideal  which  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  brought  to 
New  England.  Great  Britain  is  ruled  by  Parlia- 
ment. What  body  or  seat  of  authority  holds  sway  in 
America?  English  writers  say  Parliament  is  in 
theory  omnipotent  in  the  nation  and  its  dependen- 
cies. But  our  fore  fathers  so  balanced  power  against 
power,  House  of  Representatives  against  Senate, 
Senate  against  President,  Judges  against  Legislators, 
that  it  has  been  said  only  the  people  are  the  rulers. 
We  are  a  democracy  indeed.  But  the  people  find 
their  wills  so  blocked  by  the  political  bosses  and  by 
professional  politicians,  so  handicapped  by  misrepre- 
sentation of  facts  in  the  papers,  and  by  their  own 
short  memories,  that  it  is  plain  that  the  ultimate 
control  is  only  in  the  hands  of  the  Unseen.  The 
just  and  good  intention  of  every  citizen,  the  secret 
love  of  country  and  obedience  to  God's  will  are  in 
the  last  resort  the  safeguards.  We  are  safe  because 
Jehovah  rules  over  the  hearts  and  consciences  of  the 
people. 

He  inspires  them  to  patriotism  in  all  walks  of 


68  Three  Minute  Sermons 

life.  He  has  surrounded  each  citizen  with  an  at- 
mosphere called  Public  Opinion  which  restrains  him 
from  evil,  and  fills  the  heart  of  each  with  longing 
to  do  some  heroic  deed.  A  small  fire  in  a  village, 
of  a  barn,  discovered  a  dozen  heroes  among  the 
neighbors  who  fought  the  flames.  Our  seat  of  au- 
thority is  lodged  in  no  place  in  particular,  that  we 
may  look  devoutly  to  God  as  our  King. 

Prejudices  against  England  have  of  late  been 
largely  dispelled,  prejudices  which  had  lived  for  over 
a  hundred  years.  Though  we  ought  to  have  a 
friendly  spirit  towards  the  people  of  our  own  lan- 
guage and  blood,  we  should,  at  the  same  time,  main- 
tain a  critical  attitude  towards  them.  We  came 
forth  from  them  not  only  to  be  politically  another 
nation,  but  to  be  separate  also  in  character.  Eng- 
land's spirit  is  imperial  and  military.  She  has  fallen 
heir  to  the  spirit  of  Napoleon,  is  filled  with  the  an- 
cient love  of  conquest  and  a  desire  for  the  primacy 
over  other  peoples.  She  professes  and  professes  gen- 
uinely to  desire  to  do  good  by  her  supremacy;  but 
such  is  ever  the  claim  of  despots.  We  have  culti- 
vated a  spirit  of  peace.  We  have  often  endured  evil 
in  order  to  avoid  war.  We  have  suffered  the  im- 
putation of  cowardice  many  a  time  by  our  patience. 
Our  mission  is  to  teach  the  world  peace.  It  is  not 
our  mission  to  use  force  even  to  accomplish  good.  He 
that  takes  the  sword  shall  perish  by  the  sword. 


Patriotism  69 

Such  a  spirit  of  conquest  as  England  has  is  destruc- 
tive to  the  nation  which  suffers  itself  to  be  swept 
away  by  it.  The  highest  good  can  only  be  carried  to 
the  world  by  those  who  eschew  the  use  of  force.  A 
bloody  kingdom  will  be  shut  out  of  the  highest  ser- 
vice of  the  world.  The  same  sacrifice  of  life  and 
money  is  used  in  war  can  always  accomplish  more  if 
used  to  carry  ideas  and  institutions. 

The  greatest  internal  need  in  this  country  is  for 
local  newspapers  of  a  broad,  patriotic  and  truthful 
spirit.  The  citizen  is  helped  by  the  great  periodicals 
to  obtain  an  approximately  just  view  of  national  is- 
sues and  men,  there  is  no  way  for  him  to  get  a  just 
view  of  state,  county  and  city  affairs.  The  greatest 
responsibilities  of  a  citizen  are  those  close  at  hand. 
The  citizen's  part  in  these  is  greater,  accordingly  it 
makes  more  difference  who  he  votes  for,  for  county 
attorney  and  governor  than  for  president.  He  needs 
therefore  to  know  how  the  commissioners  use  money 
to  build  bridges  and  highways,  how  the  county  poor 
are  provided  for,  how  county  criminals  are  treated. 
He  needs  to  know  w^hat  ffood  acts  are  performed  by 
State  and  County  officials,  that  patriotism  of  officials 
may  be  justly  rewarded. 

Horace  Bushnell's  ''Barbarism  our  first  Danger" 
treats  of  evils  we  still  have  to  face.  Increase  of  pau- 
pers and  criminals,  corruption  in  city  governments, 
redress  of  evils  by  mobs,  are  dangers  to  be  remem- 


70  Three  Minute  Sermons 

bered  in  the  closet.  The  influences  of  the  public 
school  and  the  church,  the  town  meeting  and  the 
better  class  of  magazines  and  papers,  as  well  as  of 
the  better  class  of  politicians  are  occasions  for  every 
Christian  citizen  to  give  thanks. 

"The  great  main  hope  is  in  the  power  which 
masters  all  other  modes  and  means  of  good,  religion. 
Nothing  but  religion,  a  ligature  binding  society  to 
God  can  save  it.  No  light  save  that  which  is  celes- 
tial, no  virtue  but  that  which  is  born  of  God,  no 
power  of  motivity  but  that  which  is  drawn  from 
other  worlds  can  suffice  to  preserve,  compact  and 
edify  a  new  state."     (Bushnell). 


SERVICE  AND  DISCIPLESHIP 


SERVICE    AND    DISCIPLESHIP 

HUMAN  endeavor  of  all  kinds  lead  to  many 
failures.  So  to  imitate  Christ  leads  to  failure. 
The  humility,  love,  Christlikeness,  that  men  gain  by 
effort,  fall  a  little  short  of  what  they  were  meant  to 
be.  Nevertheless  the  faithful  efforts  to  be  good  and 
to  do  good,  to  fill  the  world  with  good,  will  stand 
out  as  good  work  surely  and  will  last  longer  than 
material  achievements  which  may  at  present  look 
more  glorious;  and  they  will  be  used  for  worthier 
purposes.  Let  all  Christians  assume  full  freedom 
to  imitate  Christ  everywhere,  in  every  way,  believ- 
ing there  is  one  who  "worketh  in  them"  to  accom- 
plish good  even  beyond  their  own  designs.  Let  the 
believer  freely  endeavor  to  be  all  that  he  ought  to  be, 
to  do  all  that  he  ought  to  do,  to  understand  all  the 
truth. 

We  realize  easily  the  pleasure  of  mastery  over  the 
lower  physical  world;  but  we  ought  also  to  make 
progress  in  understanding  the  highest  spiritual 
forces.  We  ought  to  exercise  the  power  of  purity, 
of  Godliness,  of  Spirituality.  It  is  too  frequently 
felt  that  one  can  be  a  power  only  in  old  spheres  of 
exercise.  There  are  new  worlds  in  the  soul,  which 
can  be  explored  in  later  years.  There  are  possibili- 
73 


74  Three  Minute  Sermons 

ties  that  can  be  discovered  after  numberless  efforts 
and  failures.  Let  us  not  be  content  to  be  only  what 
people  take  us  to  be.  Let  us  not  settle  down  to  be 
only  what  a  small  round  of  duties  would  make  us. 
We  also  may  so  stand  before  godless  men  and 
wicked  forces  of  the  world,  that  they  shall  fall  back 
and  fall  to  the  ground  before  Him  who  reigneth  in 
us.  Even  though  they  mock  at  us  afterward  let 
us  reveal  unto  them  the  Power  from  on  High. 

What  are  we  going  to  be  found  when  the  Master 
comes?  What  were  we  just  now?  What  were  we 
through  the  hours  of  yesterday?  We  shall  be  what 
the  days  are  making  us.  Every  man  will  reach  the 
place  his  separate  steps  take  him.  \i  our  days  are 
empty,  vain,  unprayerful,  then  the  result  cannot  be 
otherwise. 

An  artist  acquires  his  taste,  skill,  power,  judg- 
ment, by  practice.  A  merchant  is  made  a  merchant 
by  what  his  hands  and  brain  are  doing  day  after  day. 
A  farmer  becomes  a  farmer  by  practice.  There  is 
no  question  but  that  God  is  the  source  of  our  good, 
but  man  enters  the  inheritance  provided  him,  little 
by  little  as  he  practices, — as  he  has  faith  and  courage 
to  practice. 

"Trading  with  one's  talents,"  "sowing  the  seeds" 
faithfully,  we  find  an  increase  to  which  God's  hand 
has  assisted  us.  The  fact  that  God  is  not  a  "hard 
master"  can  only  be  found  out  after  faithful  obedi- 


Service  and  Discipleship  75 

ence.     He  allows  Himself  to  seem  hard.    But  faith 
proving  Him  finds  a  marvellous  bounty. 

"To  him  that  hath  shall  be  given"  and  "from  him 
that  hath  not  shall  be  taken  away  even  that  which 
he  hath,"  seems  unjust.  Carried  however  into  the 
sphere  above  justice,  into  that  of  mercyj  these  state- 
ments are  explained.  Among  God's  children,  only 
he  has  not  the  best,  who  will  not  receive  it,  to  whom 
therefore  it  will  do  no  good  to  give  it.  In  the  treat- 
ment of  man  by  man,  these  laws,  from  the  stand- 
point of  pure  justice,  are  "austere."  As  laws  to 
control  merciful  conduct  they  are  not  austere.  The 
benevolent,  obeying  these  rules,  will  give  where  it  is 
of  some  use  to  give,  will  withhold  where  it  is  of  no 
use  to  give.  Good  squandered  is  an  injury  to  the 
recipient.    Pity  is  no  safe  guide  to  benevolence. 

"Preach  the  word;  be  instant  in  season, 
out  of  season:  reprove,  rebuke,  exhort, 
with  all  long  suffering  and  teaching." 

One  should  be  ever  preaching,  by  shedding  light 
on  the  way  of  life  ("teaching"),  by  kindly  forbear- 
ance and  patient  waiting  ("long-suffering"),  by 
urging  others  to  wise  and  right  conduct  ("exhorta- 
tion"). With  regard  to  the  other  methods  of  preach- 
ing mentioned  in  the  text,  it  is  to  be  noticed  that  he 
reproves  as  Christ  did,  who  suffers,  himself,  in  giv- 


76  Three  Minute  Sermons 

ing  reproof.  When  our  Lord  rebuked  the  scribes 
and  Pharisees  saying  "woe  unto  you  .  .  .  hypo- 
crites" He  placed  Himself,  a  helpless  man  in  their 
hands,  and  knew  that  he  had  aroused  their  murder- 
ous hatred  to  his  own  peril.  When  he  rebuked 
Judas  giving  him  the  sop  after  saying  "he  to  whom 
I  give  a  sop  shall  betray  me,"  He  permitted  him  to 
leave  that  he  might  carry  out  his  plan  of  betrayal, 
saying  to  him  "what  thou  doest  do  quickly."  To  re- 
buke those  who  are  in  our  power  harshly  may  often 
have  the  effect  of  reproaching  them.  The  words 
which  wrench  our  hearts,  and  make  us  love  more 
those  whom  we  may  have  wounded,  are  spoken  as 
Christ  spake.  Needed  reproofs  are  not  given  too 
often,  only  should  they  be  more  often  given  with 
prayer  and  humility. 

"Behold  the  sower  went  forth  to  sow; 
.  .  and  as  he  sowed  some  seed  fell 
on  rocky  ground,  .  .  .  And  other 
fell  among  the  thorns.  .  .  .  And  oth- 
ers fell  into  the  good  ground." 

There  is  a  hint  in  this  passage  of  the  patience 
needed  by  him  who  sows  the  Word.  Though  it  is 
by  the  way  and  not  the  main  thought  of  the  para- 
ble, it  is  still  helpful. 

There  is  a  savage  or  nomadic  condition  of  society 


Service  and  Discipleship  77 

when  man  obtains  his  food  by  migrating  to  some 
place  where  nature  will  provide  it  for  him.  He  does 
not  presume  to  control  natural  forces  and  make 
them  feed  him.  He  does  not  regard  it  his  duty  to 
exercise  forethought  for  the  year,  sowing  in  the 
spring  what  he  shall  reap  in  the  fall  and  store  for 
the  winter. 

In  spiritual  life  and  in  culture  thereof  man  has 
not  advanced  fully  to  the  agricultural  stage.  The 
Christian  looks  for  immediate  blessings  in  his  heart 
as  a  return  for  his  prayers,  his  worship,  and  his  ser- 
vice; he  does  not  pray  today  for  blessings  to  be  re- 
ceived a  year  or  ten  years  hence,  he  does  not  under- 
take a  system  of  worship  which  will  accustom  his 
soul  to  enjoy  the  society  of  his  Lord,  nor  engage  in 
plans  of  work  which  will  bring  blessings  in  the  dis- 
tant future.  The  church  does  not  lay  out  in  thought 
a  neglected  field  adjoining  for  its  prayers  and  labors 
during  a  period  of  years.  She  often  expects  imme- 
diate "results"  from  a  three  weeks  series  of  meet- 
ings and  accordingly  interest  becomes  aroused.  The 
immediate  prospect  of  building  a  church  or  gather- 
ing new  members  arouses  the  interest  of  a  people; 
but  to  labor  where  fields  are  forbidding,  to  sow  for 
a  period  of  years  without  visible  results,  to  look 
forward  ten  years  for  "fruit,"  is  not  yet  a  part  of 
the  policy  of  the  churches.  Such  a  policy  would  re- 
move the  elements  of  uncertainty  from  the  growth 


78  Three  Minute  Sermons 

of  churches.  Fidelity  in  prayer  and  service  would 
more  surely  be  followed  by  spiritual  results  than  in- 
dustrious seed  sowing  is  followed  by  harvest. 

In  like  manner  the  material  income  of  a  church, 
its  ingathering  for  missions  and  benevolence  should 
not  depend  upon  appeals  alone,  but  upon  years  of  in- 
struction, of  argument,  of  patient  waiting.  There 
must  be  cultivation  of  unpromising  fields.  We  are 
not  spiritual  workmen  so  long  as  we  make  appeals 
only  where  we  expect  immediate  returns.  We  be- 
come such  only  as  we  work  with  anticipation  of  a 
distant  harvest.  The  uninformed  Christian  has  a 
right  to  our  mission  intelligence.  The  mission  intel- 
ligence is  the  gospel  to  him,  as  the  story  of  the  in- 
carnation and  of  the  cross  is  to  the  pagan.  To  him 
it  brings  larger  consecration,  larger  life,  to  the  pagan 
it  brings  the  same.  We  should  be  as  faithful  spread- 
ing the  mission  intelligence  at  home,  as  the  mission- 
ary abroad  is  in  preaching.  Spiritual  results  are 
slower  than  material.  The  period  between  sowing 
and  reaping  is  many  times  as  long  often  after  giving 
forth  of  spiritual  truth.  The  church  which  marks 
out  its  field,  and  with  faith  anticipates  a  harvest  and 
persistently  and  industriously  gives  thought  to  es- 
sential details  in  preparation  therefor,  shall  not  be 
disappointed. 

The  individual's  spiritual  growth  is  not  uncertain 
if,  in  like  manner,  he  with  patience  wait  for  it. 


"CHRIST  IN  YOU  THE   HOPE  OF  GLORY 

THE  RIGHT  desire,  the  right  effort  can  never 
fail.  Christians  lack  assurance  because  of  the 
loftiness  of  their  ideals,  but  God's  grace  is  sufficient 
to  sustain  us  while  we  look  up  and  are  impressed 
with  our  great  unw^orthiness. 

The  best  self-examination,  is  to  find  God  in  one's 
experience.  Now  He  clothes  you  in  humility,  now 
in  reverence,  now  in  patience.  Despair,  rebuke, 
want,  emptiness,  all  are  the  influences  of  His  saving 
grace. 

The  degree  of  confidence  we  have  that  w^hat  we 
ask  is  what  God  w^ould  desire  to  give,  is  ground  for 
faith.  Because  God  desires  to  give  us  His  Spirit,  to 
ask  for  the  Holy  Spirit  is  to  receive.  To  ask  intelli- 
gently for  salvation  is  to  be  saved.  That  is,  to  ask 
to  be  made  to  hate  sin  and  love  holiness  is  to  be 
saved.  To  ask  for  sanctification  is  to  be  sanctified. 
God,  because  He  is  good,  will  give  good  things  to 
them  that  ask  Him.  To  keep  asking  for  what  is 
good  is  surely  to  bring  us  to  all  those  good  things 
which  w^e  ask  for. 

The  greatest  power  possible  to  mankind  is  through 
importunate  and  persistent  prayer.  Every  Christian 
has  grown  to  be  what  he  is,  lived  to  serve  as  he  has, 
79 


8o  Three  Minute  Sermons 

by  the  power  of  someone's  prayers.  This  power  is 
none  the  less  because  it  cannot  be  measured,  and  in- 
deed its  effects  cannot  be  perceived  clearly  except  by 
faith.  It  is  not  too  bold  a  statement  to  say  that  the 
chief  agency  in  the  recovery  of  the  sick,  actually 
operating,  is  prayer.  The  chief  agency  in  extricat- 
ing us  from  difficulties  is  prayer.  The  power  open- 
ing our  minds  to  truth  and  strengthening  our  souls, 
teaching  us  how  to  do  what  we  ought  to  do,  is 
prayer. 

If  the  church  (two  or  three  together)  will,  souls 
shall  be  redeemed,  the  missionary  spirit  extended 
among  its  members,  benevolence  increased,  purity 
and  righteousness  made  to  prevail,  wise  cooperation 
secured,  public  service  rendered.  All  things  best, 
noble,  desirable,  are  for  those  who  agree  in  per- 
sistent, importunate  prayer. 

A  scientific  demonstration  of  the  presence  of  Je- 
hovah would  perhaps  meet  the  demands  of  reason 
and  satisfy  this  age  as  a  fulfillment  of  the  prophecy 
in  Revelation  that  "Every  eye  shall  see  Him."  One 
such  demonstration  could  be  accomplished  by  the 
union  of  a  church  in  prayer  for  such  good  things  for 
itself  and  for  the  community  in  which  it  was  plant- 
ed, as  would  be  clearly  according  to  God's  will  to 
grant.  Miraculous  spiritual  results  accomplished 
by  sincere,  intelligent  people,  thus  avowedly  united, 
would  awaken  the  world  to  consciousness  of  God. 


Service  and  Discipleship  8 1 

This  is  an  experiment  awaiting  those  who  would 
know  the  Lord  more  fully. 

There  is  a  higher  aim  for  one  to  have  than  to  be  a 
man  of  unselfishness,  of  love,  of  kindness,  of  humil- 
ity, of  righteousness,  of  love  of  nature,  of  spontane- 
ity, of  culture,  of  fidelity,  of  intelligence,  of  happi- 
ness. It  is  to  be  a  man  of  God.  To  be  a  man  of 
faith  is  not  so  good  a  phrase  as,  to  be  a  man  of  God. 

Science  may  save  the  people.  Nature  study  may. 
Literature  may.  Many  modern  fads  may  be  the 
ways  of  Life;  but  to  have  the  old  custom  of  simply 
calling  on  the  name  of  the  Lord  is  best  of  all.  It 
has  been  practiced  in  all  times  and  among  all  peo- 
ples, and  like  other  old  customs  is  worthy  of  being 
revived  as  superior  to  all  others. 

There  is  not  only  no  symbol  or  image,  there  is 
no  idea  that  fully  embodies  the  Summum  Bonum. 
The  ancient  prophets  inveighed  against  images 
which  nevertheless  conveyed  some  true  idea  of  God ; 
the  later  ecclesiastics  fought  against  science,  litera- 
ture, human  morality,  and  "works."  Those  who 
would  make  known  God,  may  need  to  contend 
against  many  good  things.  We  ever  need  to  look 
beyond  all  human  thought  and  feeling,  all  known 
good,  and  sirnply  call  upon  God.  Science,  literature, 
human  morality  and  works  are  evils,  if  they  obscure 
direct  vision  of  God. 

These  good  things  may  be  small  and  bad  com- 
pared with  the  infiniteness  of  God. 


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